1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surgical instrument, and more particularly, to a tissue harvesting device that is introduced into a thoracic cavity to remove specimens from underlying body structures.
2. Background of Related Art
The development of endoscopic video capability and instrumentation has resulted in the application of diagnostic and therapeutic thoracoscopy, also known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), to many disease processes encountered in thoracic medicine. VATS is a technique in which small diameter instruments such as cameras, graspers, forceps, retractors, dissectors, clamps, and so forth are inserted through small openings in the body to perform surgical procedures within the thoracic cavity. By utilizing a VATS procedure for exploring, diagnosing, and treating disease processes within the thoracic cavity, the pain, morbidity, and long recovery duration of more invasive procedures can often be avoided.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for the capturing of body tissue samples. More particularly, there is a need for a system and method for capturing thoracic lymph nodes suspected of being cancerous.